French Alps shootings: Zainab al-Hilli out of coma as sister returns home

The seven-year-old girl, who along with her four-year-old sister were the only survivors of a shooting in the French Alps that killed their parents and two other people, has come out of a medically-induced coma.

Zainab al-Hilli, who was shot in the shoulder and beaten around the head, will remain under sedation and will not be able to provide any evidence to police for several days, prosecutor Eric Maillaud said.

Her four-year-old sister Zeena, who spent eight hours undetected under her mother’s corpse, has returned to the UK with relatives after Mr Maillaud told reporters she ‘did not see anything’.

The bodies of Saad al-Hilli, 50, his dentist wife Iqbal and an older Swedish woman were found in his bullet-ridden BMW on the outskirts of forest near Lake Annecy last week, while the body of French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, was found nearby.

Earlier today Surrey police resumed the forensic search of the family’s home in Claygate that is part of the investigation into the murders.

Also on Sunday two police officers armed with Tasers and side firearms spent ten minutes in the house before leaving.

The force was unable to give a specific reason or their visit but said: ‘We can confirm the two officers who entered the house were firearms officers. Firearms officers are routinely deployed on searches.’

Saad al-Hilli was among the victims of the shooting (Picture: Enterprise)

The motive for the killings remains under investigation, with Mr al-Hilli’s brother Zaid due to be interviewed for a second time. He has already denied reports he was involved in a row over money with his brother.

Witnesses said a green four-wheel drive vehicle, and possibly a motorbike, were seen in the area at the time of the killings, with the death of cyclist Mr Mollier raising suggestions he had stumbled upon an attempted armed robbery.

Post-mortems showed the victims had been shot a number of times and at least two shots to the head, amid speculation the shooting was a pre-planned attack by a professional hitman.